Black Sun
by Echoing Fantasy
Summary: Sequel to Bringing Darkness From Above. Timoteo decides its time for Tsuna's training to begin. Except Reborn, recently turned into an Arcobaleno with the others, has too much rage and not enough patience and goes rogue. Tsuna takes it upon himself to track his godfather down and stabilize his mental state, even when others tell him that's not such a good idea. Familial!R27.


_Black Sun_

Reborn had never felt so dead before. But then again, he'd never been faced with something like this before. Around him, familiar faces stared in disbelief, shock, horror, at themselves, their partners, the person standing next to them. And if it wasn't for the fact Colonnello, naked as the day he was born, reached over and touched him with cold fingers, Reborn would think this was a dream. But no; he felt that caress, identified it, cataloged it into his memory because he was going to need something to associate with this day, this hour, this _moment. _The day everything went to hell.

His skin was too tight, too _small _for his body, the blood feeling like lava underneath, his head buzzing like there was a wasp nest inside his ears. His arms lifted, presenting a child's hands, _baby hands _before his eyes. He flexed them, clenched them down until his bones felt like they were going to break. His eyes closed as a deep, red rage started to creep across his vision. He didn't want this. He _never _wanted this. This was not life, this was death. He took this gig because it paid good, because the strange, creepy man in the checkered mask gathered him and some familiar faces together and gave them good hunts, good marks. And even later, when he'd brought that woman in, Luce, none of them had questioned it.

Maybe they should have. Because the bitch was a traitor – she'd sold them out, told them lies, told them they were going to be doing something _great for the world _and helping to _keep the balance. _She had never answered them when they had asked her what they meant, not even when fucking wimpy _Skull _asked; Skull who she'd _always _answered. Reborn should have seen the signs, should have _done _something. But he hadn't, too blinded by her quiet grace and inherent kindness, by the aspects a good Sky would have that drew him in like a moth to a fucking flame. He'd wanted to love her, to believe her. He'd wanted to believe she'd cherish them like the Elements they were.

But no. In the end, she'd used them, sold them out, and then to add insult to injury, the bitch had up and had a kid, and then _died. _She'd left them on the day this was to happen, and didn't even have the common decency to face up to her crimes before she died.

"Reborn," a croaked whisper shattered the silence like a baseball bat to a window. It was Skull. Reborn was tempted, so _so _tempted, to reach out and break every last bone in Skull's body, beat him until he bled from very pore, until he was _begging. _But Skull was immortal, and more importantly this wasn't his fault. So for now, he got to live.

"What." _Count backwards from a million._

"She lied."

Reborn was heavily tempted to answer with _no fucking shit, birdbrain. _Instead, what came out in that same dead tone was, "Yes."

Skull didn't say anything after that, which was a mixed blessing. On one hand, Reborn had always been able to gauge just how bad things were getting by Skull's squealing, annoying as it was. On the other hand, he didn't need to hear Skull to know how bad this was. This was past the point of shit hitting the fan. This was them after hitting the fan, and dragging themselves through the blades.

"What do we do now?" Colonnello, sounding _scared, _asked. He looked to Fon as he asked, because Fon had always been the calm one of the group. But even the martial artist looked lost, his gaze on his own hands. "D-do we just... go _back?_"

Go back to normal life? Go back to talking and laughing with people they knew like it was no big deal? Go back to the manor given to them and hide away from the rest of the world?

The answer to all three was a resounding _no._ Reborn forced his hands down and breathed in sharply through his nose. The cold air hit his lungs, but he didn't flinch away. The cold would help him focus just like pain did, perhaps even better right now, because thinking of pain just made him want to hurt something. He needed to be calm and figure things out.

Verde, having found his glasses again (and god how stupid they looked on that small face of his) now spoke. "Perhaps I could find a cure for this... whatever it is we've been infected with. We could return to the manor for now, and I could run some diagnostics. I'm certain that with enough time-"

"It's not a sickness, Verde." Wrapped in the cloth that had once been his cloak, Viper's voice sounded soft, and so very tired. All of his usual bite was gone. "It's a curse – we're sacrificial lambs, all of us. There's no way out."

"There must be." A muscle jumped in Verde's jaw, and something that looked suspiciously like _panic _flashed across his face. Reborn lowered his gaze, the wind whispering through his hair. Turning, he began to search for his fedora. Even if he had to walk naked down this mountain, he wouldn't leave that behind. He found it as the tense conversation behind him turned into an all-out argument. Picking it up of the ground, he dusted it off. His fingers brushed against the orange silken band wrapped around the middle, a band that had once been yellow until a year ago.

"_Happy birthday, Reborn!" The hitman started as his godson appeared before him, a small box in his hands and a grin on his face. _

"_Oh, so _now _you show up?" Reborn retorted, gesturing to the remains of the party being swept up in the restaurant. Despite his harsh words, he still had a smile on his face. When Tsuna pouted at him cutely, he reached out and plucked the box out of his hands. "Well, better late then never I suppose. I expect that test you were studying so hard for to be an A, you hear?"_

"_How did you-"_

"_I have my ways." The box came undone with one elegant tug of the simple bow on top, and Reborn paused as he lifted the present out. An orange band sat there, made of silk. It didn't take a genius to figure out what it was for – or that it hadn't been cheap. Small gift it might have been, Reborn knew Tsuna had worked hard just to get him this. _

"_Is it okay?" Tsuna asked, quiet. He seemed hesitant, licking his lips and fiddling with the hem of his shirt. "I-I, um, there was a red one, but I didn't know if you'd prefer-"_

_Reborn didn't give him a chance to stutter out anything else, reaching out with one hand and pulling him in tight for a rare hug. "It's perfect, Tsunayoshi. Thank you." Reaching up, he took his fedora off and carefully undid the yellow band, replacing it with the orange. He gazed at it thoughtfully before plopping it back on his head. _

_He smirked at his godson's awed look. "I'll have to get some nice shirts to match it. You can help me pick them out. We can go shopping tomorrow. What do you think?"_

Reborn felt his chest ache sharply at the memory. The trip had been one of the best ones Reborn had gone on, full of laughter and a warmth that nothing had smothered. He'd returned with several nice dress shirts to match the band on his fedora, and Tsuna had gotten the A he'd studied so hard for.

_Tsuna's birthday is coming up, _Reborn thought as he pulled the fedora back into place. _It's almost October, and I haven't even thought about what to get him. Then again, this year's present might end up being a belated one. _He couldn't face his godson while he was like this – the thought alone was so ridiculous, so _stupid. _Tsuna wouldn't believe him even if he did show up. No one would. After all, what kind of power could turn a grown man into a baby?

_The kind you've just experienced first hand. The kind that's made of sacrifices and false destiny. _

The thought soured his temperament as well as the memory. Turning, he started back down the mountain. That got everyone's attention. "Reborn? Where are you going, kora?"

He stopped. "Back to the manor dumbass, where do you think? If there's a chance that this can be cured, I want to look into it. And even if there's not, we're going to need a chance to get used to _this." _

"B-but-"

"But _nothing. _I know you don't want it, but its happened. Get over it. Move on." Because staying in the past was impossible at this point. Pulling his fedora down to shield his eyes, Reborn turned back to the path and started walking again. After a few minutes, he heard the quiet sounds of the others following. If he had chosen to look back, he would have seen Skull pressed close between Colonnello and Lal, Viper and Verde walking with their heads together, murmuring their continued argument, and Fon silently bringing up the rear.

But Reborn, like Fon, was lost to his own thoughts, to his own inner demons, and didn't look behind him.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A month later...<strong>_

It was bound to happen eventually. Reborn just wished the Ninth hadn't chosen _now _of all times to call and inform him of his decision.

"_Tsunayoshi is turning thirteen in a week, correct? A fine time to start his training, I think."_

A glass vase hit the wall, the shattering crash making the others flinch. Since their transformation Reborn's temper had been much more explosive. His patience was gossamer-thin, and he found fault in all things, and was quick to lash out at anyone in the nearby vicinity, even if it wasn't their fault. Most would have assumed his target to be Skull, but the youngest of the group had been making himself scarce much more frequently.

The others could hold their own well enough against the hitman, forcing him to let his temper out on much more inanimate objects like the rare, priceless vases and dishes scattered around the house. Normally Fon would have been the one to calm Reborn down, but the Storm was dealing with his own demons and turmoil, and didn't have time for anyone else.

"_Naturally, I think you'd be best for the job, already being so close to the lad. He trusts you enough to do this for him and not let him fall. And **I **am trusting you enough to do the same."_

Another vase, followed by a silver ashtray, slammed into the wall. Out of things to throw at the moment, Reborn leveled himself and breathed in through his nose. His hands trembled and his eyes were shadowed by the brim of his fedora, but everyone could pretty much tell what he was thinking. Nono was a _fool, _to ask this of Reborn regardless of the alert Verde had sent him notifying him of the... changes to their bodies. Reborn was in no state to go training his godson – not when he was so out of control. This kind of anger would take a lot longer to dissipate, perhaps even years, if Reborn's ability to hold a grudge was anything to be measured by.

The point was, mafia boss or not, _Vongola _or not, asking Reborn to just pop over to the house and start training was _not _going to happen. And bringing anyone over to the manor to collect him was a bloodbath waiting to happen – there was no guarantee that Reborn would even hold his temper against his own godson. It was simply an impossible set of orders, and any one of the Arcobaleno would have told Nono that if Reborn would just let him – but he'd ripped the phones out of the wall, and the only one left was in his room. Verde had better things to do than replace the phones, and everyone else was too busy dealing with their own problems to care.

Just like every other time, Reborn's temper eventually simmered down. He cleaned up his own mess and then went to drain the coffee pot of its contents. He brooded as he did so, thoughts a jumbled mass of dark hatred for the situation and everyone he knew, and a pity party that would have made even the most whiny brat wrinkle their nose in distaste. He fixed his gaze out the window onto the garden Luce had started so long ago. She'd claimed the place would look nicer if it had flowers.

But now that he looked at the plants – _really _looked, he could see that they weren't flowers at all, but fruits and vegetables. He could make out the tiny green starts of tomatoes, something that looked like the beginnings of basil, and long stalks that looked like the makings of corn. He could see other plants along the sides of the house, but he couldn't see what any of them were.

He closed his eyes as another wave of murderous rage worked him over. _She lied to us. She __**knew **__we'd be trapped here after our transformation – she was setting us up from the very moment she met us. Like a puppet master with its most beloved toys. _

He swallowed down the last cup of the suddenly-bitter coffee and washed it out, putting the cup aside and moving out towards the back patio. He looked at the plants – Basil, corn, tomatoes, strawberries, blackberries, spinach, barley, apples, oranges, potatoes and carrots. Food meant to keep them going during their long stint into this. Somehow, seeing the plants brought the issue home – they weren't getting out of this. There was no escape. No magic cure Verde would find at the last minute to give them back their bodies. No spell to undo it that Viper could cast. They were trapped in the bodies of infants, made to act as batteries for the world and its energy.

Something a lot like tears burned at his eyes while his throat spasmed, closing in on itself. Reborn looked at the ground and forced himself to breathe, to shove away the urge to cry. He wasn't weak. Instead, he looked around at the plot of ground Luce had given to the plants, and then over to the side of the house where several tools sat with a hose.

He rolled up his sleeves. He needed something to do to get these feelings out of his system, and the plants needed to be checked and taken care of. Two birds with one stone. He set his fedora down and peeled off his outer jacket, setting both on the rail.

Fon watched from the window above as Reborn knelt in the dirt and methodically began to check the plants over. The thought of going down there and lending a hand felt nice, but he knew Reborn needed time to himself. And so he contented himself to merely watched, waving in Reborn's direction when the man noticed he was being watched.

Maybe... maybe they could get through this after all.

* * *

><p>Despite this initial rage over Luce's deception, Reborn found peace in tending to the garden she'd started. The plants needed regular maintenance, which gave him an excuse to leave the house every day for a few hours and pull weeds, water the lawn and keep any nasty little pests from nibbling at the growing plants. He even built a wooden fence to go around each group, and a couple of wire fences to help keep one or two of the weaker plants growing straight.<p>

It became almost therapeutic for him, to the point where Fon, who had spent most of his time watching, asked to join him one late morning as Reborn was heading out. Reborn shrugged and let him tag along. Somehow between that morning and that evening, Fon had his hands just as dirty as Reborn did, and the hitman couldn't find it in him to mind. The quiet that penetrated the house was replaced by animated conversation between the two over the care of the garden, what they should plant in addition to what they already had, what they could afford to skip once everything was grown and what they would be repeatedly needing.

As if sensing the storm had passed for the moment, the other Arcobaleno slowly started to be seen more and more regularly around the house. Skull, who'd been off trying to get a job, finally came home to put his cooking skills to use for them, Viper finally took a break from his reading to eat with them, and Lal and Colonnello actually bothered to put in an appearance from their time in Mafia Land. The only one who didn't show up was Verde, although Skull took the time to take regular meals down to him so he wouldn't die.

For the first time since the transformation, things seemed to be going _right._

Unfortunately, whatever tentative peace was starting to come over the house was shattered only three weeks later by the arrival of Tumeric and Iemitsu. Fon was the one to answer the door, and he found himself sadistically enjoying the brief spasm of confusion and then shock that crossed both mens' faces when they looked down and saw Fon standing there. He blamed it on spending so much time in the company of the hitman recently. "Yes?"

"Is Reborn around?"

Fon considered for a very long moment turning them away, or telling them a lie. Reborn didn't need this kind of stress right now – none of them did. But Fon knew word would eventually reach them of the untruth, and they'd just come back again. Better to let them come now when there were only two than later when there would be twenty. "He's out back, in the garden. I'd advise you to be quick, because he's nearly done. He won't hesitate to attack you once he's out of range of those plants."

Iemitsu nodded, and the two walked around the side of the house to confront Reborn. Fon closed the door, and silently wished them well, already turning towards the kitchen to warn his fellows of the coming peace-breakers.

Predictably, Reborn didn't take their arrival well.

"Reborn-"

"_No."_

"The Ninth-"

"Can go to hell. I'm not leaving."

"He's your _godson._"

"He doesn't need me."

"Bullshit!" Iemitsu snarled, reaching out to snag the baby in front of him by the arm. Those black eyes turned to him, and Iemitsu resisted the urge to flinch back. "He needs you more than he's ever needed _me. _You're practically his goddamned father, and he needs you! He's been worried sick about you – I get regular calls from him asking to talk to you, and every time I have to tell him that you're off on a mission and he just missed you. Nana writes me letters telling me how out of touch he's been with reality; the bullies are back on his heels and the teachers are failing him. All because of _you._"

For just a second, Iemitsu saw something like regret flicker across those eyes. But then the look vanished, and Reborn was looking away, towards the plants that were growing larger all the time. "I don't care. Leave me alone, or I'll kill you. I'm not the Ninth's dog, and I'm sure as hell not someone he can order around so frivolously. Send someone else to train Tsunayoshi, or better yet, do it yourself. After all, if I'm replacing you as his father, something must be wrong, right?"

"You know I can't-"

"Why?" Reborn whirled on heel and started walking forward. Iemitsu found himself backing up. "What's wrong with spending more time with your only child? Tsunayoshi needs a father, and it was because you wanted a family that he was born in the first place, so why not? Or was that just a ruse? Did you just want a quick fuck and then somehow she got pregnant? Did you feel guilty and stick around out of some twisted sense of obligation? Is that it, Iemitsu?"

Iemitsu's face had gone pale, and his eyes were so large Reborn could see the whites. He knew he'd gone overboard, but _goddamn it _he wasn't ready to leave yet. He might not ever be ready, and they were pushing him into a corner. He had a right to fight back, and Iemitsu had so many open wounds to take advantage of, all revolving around the fluffy brunet back home that Reborn was worrying sick and the woman that always welcomed Reborn like he was family.

Both of them were so kind, so open and welcoming that it infuriated him like nothing else that Iemitsu would continue to ignore them, even for the good of the _famiglia. _He knew Iemitsu couldn't tell Nana anything because of _omerta_. Reborn had never been the blind man of the group, but maybe this whole situation had set a time-bomb into motion, and it was in the process of blowing up everything they knew.

Iemitsu swallowed hard, blinking the same way. Reborn could hear his intake of breath, how ragged it sounded. Almost like he'd managed to get Iemitsu on the verge of tears. _Good, _a dark feeling in Reborn's chest whispered, _he deserves every bit of pain he gets for what he's done to them. He doesn't deserve them. _

"You know I'd never be so reckless, Reborn. And I'd never-" Iemitsu swallowed again, and _yes, _those were the beginnings of tears in the corner of his eye, discreetly wiped away. "I'd never do that to them. Either of them."

"But you'd leave them alone to suffer through years of loneliness with only each other for company?" Reborn asked with raised brows. "How very _noble _of you, Iemitsu."

This time Iemitsu did flinch, stumbling back as if Reborn had just delivered a physical blow. Off to the side, Tumeric looked sick. There was a long, uneasy pause between them all, and then Iemitsu seemed to gather his waning strength. "I don't remember you being this cruel, Reborn."

Reborn sneered. "I'm in the body of a goddamned infant because I trusted an _outsider _to lead us correctly. How the fuck am I supposed to act?"

The blond didn't say anything to that, and Reborn turned back to the plants, body shaking with suppressed rage. Whatever calm he'd managed to have for a few, precious weeks was ruined now, by Iemitsu coming here and doing what he always did – fucking everything up. It was enough to make him scream.

The two were gone when Reborn looked over his shoulder a moment later, and he sneered again as he thought of how quick it had taken Iemitsu to run off with his tail between his legs this time. _He's almost beaten his old record with how fast he's running. Now its back to whining to the Ninth about his problems, and have the old man send me a scolding instead of dealing with it himself. Well fuck them, I'm nobody's whipping boy. _

He wasn't aware of just how angry he'd gotten until the stalk under his hand cracked in two, falling over and collapsing in the dirt. Reborn stared at the broken stalk, the wetness coating his hand and closed his eyes with a curse. He stood, spinning around and walking not towards the house, but further into the forest. He needed to be anywhere that wasn't here, and give his temper time to calm down. Right now he couldn't do anything. If he just walked for a bit, he'd be fine. He was _always _fine after a walk.

From the second-story bedroom window, Fon watched Reborn storm away with a sigh. His hopes for a peaceful future dashed again, he went downstairs to cross Reborn's name off the register for who was cooking tonight. There was a very good chance the hitman wouldn't be back home tonight, and when he did finally return, it would be either in the dead of night or too early in the morning for anyone to be awake. That's how Reborn was – preferring to slip in where no-one could see him.

"Is he gone?"

Fon looked up to find Colonnello standing before him, looking disquieted. The martial artist nodded. "For now. But I suspect he won't be around for dinner."

"That's fine, then." Colonnello turned and started heading up the stairs, but seemed to think of something and glanced back. "Could you stand guard for me, kora? I need you to tell me when Reborn comes back."

"Why? What are you doing?"

Colonnello's features turned grimly serious. "I'm going to make a call, kora. To the one person I know who can maybe talk some sense into him."

He didn't elaborate, but Fon didn't need him to. He'd heard enough stories to know who Colonnello was talking about. "He's only a child."

"He understands, kora, a hell of a lot better than most of us would. And he won't care about our bodies – but he _will _care that Reborn's going around in a mood fit to kill."

"So what will you do? You can't bring him here – Reborn's not stupid."

"I'm not going to bring him anywhere, kora. I'm just going to mention it, and let everything sort itself out. Tsuna's a good kid, he'll figure it out."

* * *

><p><em>Riiing, riiing.<em>

"I got it!" Tsuna yelled, nearly tripping over himself in his haste to get downstairs and to the phone before it stopped ringing. He'd been sitting on pins and needles for days, praying and wishing Reborn would call him back, and now that he had, he wasn't about to miss the call. He took the stairs at a sprint, and managed to get to the phone before it had rung for the third time. "_Padrino?!"_

"_**Sorry kora, its just Colonnello."**_

Tsuna sagged, trying his hardest not to scream as disappointment swamped him. "Hey Uncle. How are things?"

"_**Well, less than stellar, actually. And before you ask, yeah I know where Reborn is – he's actually what I'm calling about, kora."**_

Tsuna's spine snapped straight as his eyes went wide, disappointment replaced by panic. "Is he okay? He's not hurt is he?"

"_**Truthfully? Yeah, he is, kora, in more ways than one. It's mainly emotional, but... well, do you remember the woman named Luce we told you about?"**_

"Of course. You both spoke fondly of her. D-did... did she do something to him?" Protective fury rose into his chest to choke him, the words emerging as more of a snarl than a question.

"_**...Not just him, kora. Listen Tsunayoshi. I know what I'm about to tell you is gonna be really fucking hard to believe, but please just... keep an open mind, okay?"**_

The story that passed over the phone in the following hour and a half was as long and complex as any one of the numerous history lessons they taught at school, and in some ways, just as horrifying. Tsuna found himself torn between a handful of different emotions, each fighting each other to be the dominant reaction. None of them won however, and so Tsuna could only stand in stunned silence as Colonnello finished the story of what had gone on these past weeks, why Reborn hadn't visited him or even returned his calls, and why Tsuna now needed to come to Italy and see his godfather himself.

"_**Tsuna? You still there? Hello!"**_

"Y-yeah, I'm still here," Tsuna croaked at long last, voice raspy. Clearing his throat, he said, "I'll find a way to get over there, Uncle. I promise. In the meantime... see if you can keep Reborn in the neighborhood. It might take me a while."

"_**Heh, you're a good kid, kora. And Fon said you were too young to understand."**_

"There's a lot I understand that I should be too young for," Tsuna replied, mind going back to his first kill earlier in the year. "But I'm still here, and I'm not going to run away just because my godfather is a baby now. He's still him, and you're still you, right?"

"_**Yep!"**_

"Then that's all that matters. I have to go now, Uncle, but I'll contact you soon. Thank you for the update."

"_**Not a problem, kora. Take care, Tsunayoshi."**_

"You too. Send your friends my regards." Tsuna hung the phone up then, letting out a sigh he wasn't aware of holding as he rubbed his face. It seemed like a lot had gone on since he'd last seen his godfather, and now the man was on a warpath of destruction and rage that nobody could quell. Colonnello thought maybe he could do it, but well... Tsuna could do a lot of things, but he was still a human being with limitations.

That wasn't to say he wouldn't _try _to help soothe Reborn's (however justified) anger over his situation. But he wished they would keep an open mind about him being unable to do anything, rather than expecting him to show up and things to turn out okay. He was only thirteen, after all, with plenty of room to grow. Plenty of time to make mistakes.

But right now Tsuna had more problems than worrying about potential mistakes – he needed to find a way to Italy, and then find the Arcobaleno's base from there, and _then _worry about getting his godfather calmed down before he ripped out someone's throat (most likely Colonnello's, for calling Tsuna in the first place).

Not for the first time in his life, Tsuna thanked a god he didn't believe in for Reborn telling him and his mother the truth. It made this so much easier.

"Hey Mom! Can I talk to you about something?"

* * *

><p>Colonnello sighed under his breath as he put the phone down. The hardest part was over – now it was just a matter of hoping Iemitsu wouldn't mind his son coming to Italy for a bit, and then maneuvering Reborn into the optimal position for Tsuna to work his magic. In the meantime though-<p>

Fon suddenly appeared at the door. "Reborn's back. Get out of there, now!"

Colonnello rushed to the door, quickly closing it and moving down the stairs. He hit the bottom just as Reborn appeared, still looking rather moody. The hitman gave them an odd look when he spotted them standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Did someone die?"

"No, we were just talking about things," Fon spoke before Colonnello could open his mouth. Which was good, because Colonnello couldn't lie his way out of a paper bag, even after all the years of training under Lal.

Reborn's gaze sharpened and pinned on Colonnello, almost like the man could sense a weakness between them. He probably could, doing what he'd done for so long. "Really? Colonnello, what _things_ were you talking about?"

"Dinner," the blond blurted out. Recalling what Fon had already told him, he went on. "Fon said you weren't going to be back in time to cook, so we were discussing what to make for dinner tonight."

Those black eyes bored into him, seeking a lie. Colonnello silently prayed to whatever gods existed that Reborn would buy it. Fate must have been on his side at that moment, because after another tense moment Reborn scoffed and turned to go upstairs. "Just because I leave for an hour or so doesn't mean I'm not going to cook. You idiots need to eat – Skull's losing weight faster than ever, and you just look plain pitiful."

"Hey!" Colonnello's lunge for Reborn was stopped short by Fon, who had kept his peaceful smile throughout the entire conversation. "You're not exactly Mr. Buff either, y'know!"

Reborn didn't deign that with a response, instead vanishing upstairs without a backward glance. Colonnello continued to grumble under his breath until the door to the hitman's room had opened and closed again, and only then did Fon let him go. "That was close," the blond mumbled.

"Your attempts to strangle him didn't aid our attempts any, certainly." Colonnello winced at the delicate layer of rebuke in Fon's voice – a gentle scolding, to be sure, but a scolding nonetheless. He ducked his head.

"I panicked, okay? It's not easy having a stare-off with someone that claims to read minds."

Fon sighed. He'd long ago learned that Reborn read body language and vocal tones, rather than minds. Most of them could do the same. He told this to Colonnello, and watched as the younger man floundered. "What?! That's all?"

"That's all."

"Bu-but he- I mean- How?"

"Ask Lal. I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you all about it." Fon turned, suddenly tired of the talk, and went into the kitchen, leaving his companion standing there at the bottom of the stairs with a gobsmacked look on his face.

(Lal was in fact _not _happy to tell him all about it, and called him an idiot for not realizing the _common _technique Reborn was using faster. She then proceeded to make him run laps until he passed out or she was satisfied, whichever came first.)

* * *

><p>Iemitsu was not looking forward to reporting in to Nono. But he had to, regardless of his personal feelings. So he did his best to conceal the grimace that had been stuck to his face for the jet ride back and knocked on the door to the Ninth's office.<p>

"Enter."

With a deep breath, Iemitsu opened the door. The Ninth put his pen down, folding his hands under his chin as he regarded the blond man he considered family. "I take it the mission was a success?"

A bitter taste crawled into his mouth. "No, sir, I'm afraid it wasn't."

Nono tilted his head oh-so-slightly, eyes narrowing just a hair. "No...?"

Iemitsu didn't let his feelings show on his face as he recounted what happened. He even managed to get through his recollection of Reborn's words about Nana and Tsuna without flinching. The Ninth was silent throughout the story, and when Iemitsu finally fell quiet his own self, he leaned back in his chair, hands folding themselves in his lap. A sigh came out of his nose, and it sounded tired. "I see. And what is your opinion of his views? Do you think he is right?"

"Sir?"

"About you training Tsunayoshi, rather than Reborn or someone else. And before you talk to me about security dangers or threats to either the Vongola or your family, let me remind you that both Tsunayoshi and Nana are aware of us now. They've been trained to handle guns, and defend themselves. I imagine they both also know a bit of self-defense, if I know Colonnello and Lal as well as I do."

Iemitsu's hands curled into fists, his posture radiating tension. Silently he warred with himself over what to say – what to _do _now. Because like it or not, Nono was right; Nana and Tsuna both knew about the mafia now, knew about their place in it and how it all related back to Iemitsu. Trying to force his son away at this point, or continue to claim that he was "protecting them" by not giving them the information that they needed wouldn't work. Reborn had been the first choice for Tsuna's tutor not only because he had trained Tsuna and protected him thus far, but because the man wouldn't hold back on anything. Compared to that, Iemitsu was nothing but a pale shadow.

"_After all, if I'm replacing you as his father, something must be wrong, right?"_

His hands uncurled, Reborn's earlier words coming back to stab him in the gut. The man hadn't been wrong with his assessment – but that was one of his many talents. He chose his words carefully, crafted each one like a master smith, and slid them between the ribs and into the heart like a knife.

"I think," he said after a long moment, "That we need to consider each option carefully before we make any decisions regarding my son's training."

Nono nodded. "Then I think, having considered things as carefully as I have, that you are indeed the best choice to train Tsunayoshi. Go, Iemitsu. Show your son what our world is like. Show him what _Vongola _means."

Iemitsu's heart dropped, his eyes falling shut without his permission. Had he looked in the mirror at that moment, he would have realized his expression had twisted into grief. "Yes, sir."

"I will inform my pilots to stand by with the _Fenichia. _It will take you to Namimori much faster than one of Italy's planes will. Give Tsunayoshi and Nana my best, won't you?"

"Of course, sir," Iemitsu murmured, turning away to head downstairs, forcing away the feelings of pain in his chest.

The jet was ready to go by the time Iemitsu reached the private landing, a suitcase full of everything he'd need beside him. He nodded to the pilot as he boarded, and quickly found himself a seat beside the window, all the better to distract himself with.

Soon they were in the air, and Iemitsu closed his eyes and forced himself not to think. In a few hours he'd have to tell his son everything, and only God knew how he'd react.

* * *

><p>Except that while Iemitsu was heading to Japan, Tsuna was heading to Italy.<p>

Getting past security and customs was easy enough, nobody batting an eye as he presented his ID and ticket. Nana, as it turned out, had a few tricks up her sleeve that she'd learned from her time with Reborn, and she had used them to get Tsuna the ticket he needed for free. He had thanked her, and promised to be careful and bring Reborn back in one piece, leaving her smiling and waving to him as he ran to his destination.

He didn't have the exact address to where he was heading, but that was fine, since Colonnello would give him the directions once he landed. For now, he contented himself with lying back in the seat and trying to calm his heart. He felt nervous. Reborn would undoubtedly be upset once he learned of Colonnello's interference, and perhaps even angry that Tsuna had brought himself into the situation without his approval. Tsuna was prepared to face all those reactions though, if it meant sitting down with his godfather and sorting out everything that was going on and getting him to come back home.

Waiting for his godfather to come back from a "simple mission" only to not hear anything from him in weeks had been horrible, and Tsuna never wanted to experience it again.

He settled back in his seat, and opened the book he'd brought with him to read – one of Reborn's last gifts to him. It was an old book, well-loved and cherished, and re-reading the familiar lines helped calm his troubled heart somewhat.

_Soon, _he thought.

* * *

><p>Six hours later, Iemitsu arrived at Namimori. After going through customs (owned by Vongola) and having his ID discreetly checked, he hailed a cab to take him home. As they drove through familiar streets, he could feel his anxiety begin to stir up again. Tsuna never had warm greetings for him when he arrived home, and this greeting was bound to be especially sour. Nana would welcome him, at least, but knowing Tsuna, he would probably barricade himself up in his room until Iemitsu left. Getting his son to talk to him would be a chore, without a doubt.<p>

At last though, he was there. He paid the driver and stepped out, passing through the familiar gate and going up to the door, walking in without bothering to knock. "Nana, I'm home!" he called.

Nana appeared after a brief pause, smiling and looking as beautiful as ever, drying her hands on a towel. "Iemitsu! Welcome home, dear. I wasn't expecting you for a while."

"Some things happened at work, and my boss gave me the go-ahead to come home." Leaning down, he kissed both of her cheeks in greeting. "Is Tsuna around? I need to talk to him about some things."

"Oh, I'm afraid you just missed him, dear. There's some trouble going on, and he won't be home for a while."

Iemitsu frowned. "What kind of trouble? How long will it take him to come home?"

"Nothing major, just something that requires him to mediate. Well let's see here. His flight will take at least eleven hours to land-"

"Flight?" Iemitsu asked, panic stabbing his chest. Nana continued on as if she hadn't heard him.

"-and an additional eleven hours back, plus whatever he does between now and then. So, anywhere between two days to a week, at the very least. You know how stubborn Reborn can be."

"_REBORN?!" _Iemitsu yelped, the panic turning to full-fledged terror. Grabbing Nana by the arms, he yanked her forward. "Where's Tsunayoshi, Nana? And what does this have to do with Reborn?!"

"Tsuna's in Italy, Iemitsu. He got a call from a man named Colonnello, and apparently Reborn's going through a rough time. He's refusing to come back, so Tsuna's gone to see if he can't talk to Reborn and help him work his issues out." Nana smiled, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Isn't it wonderful? Our boy is so sweet!"

For a long time, Iemitsu just stood there, staring at his wife, uncomprehending of her words. All he could hear was _Tsuna _and _Italy, _followed by _Reborn. _Those three things circled his brain, until at last they made a connection. By that time Nana had slipped out of his grasp and gone back into the kitchen, leaving him standing there, trembling over the knowledge that he'd come home just as his son had left to go console the very monster that had so cruelly lashed out at him only hours prior.

"_**After all, if I'm replacing you as his father, something must be wrong, right?"**_

Iemitsu closed his eyes, pressing the heels of his hands to them as if it would make everything right again. In the darkness, he could hear his own father's voice coming back to him from when he'd been a child, disappointed. _"You've failed, Iemitsu. You had a chance to make it right. You failed. Now there's nothing you can do to fix it."_

His father had been right, he thought, dragging his hands down his face. So had Reborn, in more ways than one. He'd lost his son, alienated him too far to every build a relationship with him. Now all he could do was sit back and watch as another man swept in and took his place. At least Nana was forgiving of him and his lies. But Tsuna... Tsuna had cast him aside, and would never look at him again.

He considered calling Nono, telling him what was going on. That Tsuna was in Italy, trying to talk to Reborn. _You can still turn it around! _A nagging voice, destructive and vindictive, whispered in his head. _If they catch him before he gets to Reborn, you can still make it right! Lock him away until he listens to you, until he remembers who his father is!_

Iemitsu knew it was a lie, though. Even if they did catch him and drag him back, Tsuna would only hate him all the more for interfering, for trying to direct his life when it wasn't wanted. He was simply too rebellious, too bullheaded for such a maneuver. And Iemitsu had never been the subtle sort of man, like his father before him. It was simply a lost cause at this point. _Better to give up now than to fight a battle that can't be won. _

So despite his desire to do otherwise, Iemitsu placed the case down on the floor, and headed into the kitchen to get the alcohol. He had done enough thinking for the day, and now all he wanted to do was forget.

* * *

><p>Tsuna disembarked from his plane nearly a full twelve hours after boarding it, yawning and stretching in the sunlight. He'd managed to get some sleep, recognizing that he'd need it before landing. While he was still fairly tired, he knew there was still a lot of work to be done. First, he had to find a hotel that <em>wasn't <em>run by Vongola. The last thing he needed was his father or his grandfather interfering, or trying to warn him off of talking to Reborn.

Most likely by now, both men knew what had occurred, and had tried to convince Reborn to come back home. And most likely, Reborn had told them both to fuck off. His grandfather didn't seem the type of man to stand for that sort of disrespect, so Tsuna could probably expect to be pulled to Italy soon to start his training. Except he wouldn't let anyone save Reborn train him, because only Reborn had earned his trust when it came to his life. He didn't care if Nono was the leader of Vongola or not, he hadn't earned Tsuna's respect, and wouldn't if he tried to yank Tsuna into the family business just because Reborn wasn't complying.

Making his way through the airport, Tsuna continued to write a metal list of events. Assuming he manged to get past the Vongola, he'd need to conform to the world and stay low while he made his way to where the Arcobaleno were. After that, it was simply a matter of convincing his godfather to come home. _Well, I'm thinking 'simply', but I know its going to be difficult. He's stubborn, and he doesn't like being told what to do, not even by me. _

Running his hands down his face, Tsuna tried not to grimace. _Ah, when did my life turn into a soap opera? Seriously, I'm running around Italy after my godfather, my family's in the mafia... all I need is a mysterious, sexy twin from overseas and maybe a love triangle and I think I might have a new show for teenager girls and middle-age housewives to watch. _Dropping his hands, he watched the crowds of people move around him, and let the rhythm of the city bleed into him, felt its pace and its paths.

This was what Reborn had taught him – the timeless ability to quickly assimilate himself into a population, no matter where he was in the world. He would listen and feel, and from the city would learn what the locals were like, how they moved, what they thought, saw, felt, smelled... all critical things for disguising himself in plain site. After all, Nono and the others would be expecting a bumbling fourteen year old, shy and inexperienced in Italy. And nobody would look twice at a boy that was roaming Italy's streets like he belonged, because clearly it was just another kid coming from an errand or school, burning off restless energy.

When he blinked again, the world seemed to speed back up, the long drag he'd taken of the world around him only a few seconds to normal humans. Tsuna felt his body relax into the proper form; head high, shoulders back, stride loose, easy but confident. All someone would expect to see of a native of Italy, the home of the mafia. And given that he was _mafia _personified, he made sure to add in that subtle undertone of arrogance on top of it all, to complete the picture.

He began to move, and nobody so much as glanced at him. Even when several mobsters walked past him, two of whom Tsuna _recognized, _and one that Tsuna personally knew, none glanced back a second time. Tsuna couldn't help the smirk that curved his mouth. Reborn didn't do things halfway, and Tsuna, in a testament to his teacher's calm patience, didn't either. So it was only natural that he wouldn't be found out, even by Dino, who had been going to get a drink from the looks of it.

Still, it might be worth it to pop over to a store and find some kind of hair dye, and possibly some colored contacts too, just to make his job easier. It's not like his appearance would matter much when he finally met Reborn – that man would be able to tell who he was at just a glance, no matter how much Tsuna dressed up. That's one thing both he and Reborn had in common; no matter how the other dressed or acted, they could always recognize one another. Reborn claimed it was the fabled Vongola Intuition at work, peeling back the layers to reveal the truth, but Tsuna wasn't sure.

_Well, this meeting will certainly put my 'intuition' to the test, won't it? I'll be looking for weaknesses, the one thing Reborn **doesn't **have. Let's hope his training has paid off._

* * *

><p>It took three days and several stores, but Tsuna finally had everything he needed for the confrontation, bar the actual address. Colonnello had left a phone number for him to call back when he was ready to meet, one Tsuna now utilized from a phone booth on the street. He licked his dry lips as he waited for someone to pick up, heart pounding in his chest and a sense of anxiety hovering over his head. He didn't think Reborn was going to be happy to see him, this time.<p>

"_Hello?" _A lightly-accented male voice asked. Tsuna didn't recognize it, but pushed forward anyhow.

"Um, hello. Is this the Arcobaleno house? I was given this number by one of your own to call when I was ready to see Reborn."

The person on the other end sucked in their breath. _"You're his godson. Tsunayoshi."_

"Yes. May I ask who I'm speaking with?"

"_A-ah, yes, my apologies. Normally I'm much better at this. My name is Fon. Colonnello told me of your plan, and I feel I need to ask – are you certain about this? Reborn's anger has calmed down somewhat, but its been recently kick-started again, and well... I'm not sure you'll be able to do what Colonnello believes."_

Tsuna considered his answer carefully. "I know my godfather is a very serious man. I know his business is enforcing the deaths of those the bosses have decided need to vanish. I've seen his darker side, and I know he can be terrifying. But I need to do this – not because Colonnello is tired of his temper, but because he's hurting." Swallowing, he pressed a fist to his chest, where a familiar throb had started up. "Even from halfway around the world, I can _feel _it, and it makes me want to protect him. It hurts me to see him hurting, because it means I've failed in my job to protect him."

"_...But he's a hitman. He's trained himself to protect his own weak spots."_

Tsuna shook his head, although he knew Fon wouldn't see it. "I'm not talking about physical weak spots. It's true that he's strong, and that he can handle himself most of the time, but he's still _human. _And being turned into an infant – being _helpless –_ it doesn't sit well with him. He'll tear himself apart trying to be what he was as an adult, and he'll drive himself mad trying to think up schemes and plans to re-integrate himself into society without making a fuss. But it won't work, because he'll be too scarred and hurting to properly do it. He needs someone to look after him and keep him safe from the world until he's ready to face it again. Does that make sense?"

There was a stunned silence on the line for a long time. _"Yes. Yes, it does. I've... I've never heard anyone describe it like that before, but I understand perfectly. Thank you, Sawada Tsunayoshi. You've eased my fears somewhat. I'll give you our address now. Reborn is out in the backyard, and he won't be back for a couple hours yet. That gives you plenty of time to get over here."_

"Thank you, Fon." Scribbling down the address Fon gave him onto the pad of paper he'd brought from the hotel, he let out a heavy breath as some of the anxiety vanished. "I'll be there shortly."

"_Very well. Have a safe trip."_

The phone went dead before Tsuna could reply, leaving him to hang up the phone and exit the booth, the address tucked into his pocket along with the pen. He had an idea of where he was headed; he would work out the specifics as he moved. For now, he took off at a strong dash, darting through the crowds of people and weaving his way through the alleyways that would lead him to where he needed to be.

It took him about an hour to find the building he was looking for, but when he did he could understand why he hadn't immediately found it. There was no address on the building, and indeed, it was built out of the way of the normal city, far back in the forest paths that nobody ever took anymore. He'd almost gotten lost several times because the old wooden signs were no longer legible, or because they were written in a strain of Italian that he couldn't quite make sense of. He made a mental note to ask his godfather about it when he was in a better mood, and went to knock on the door.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting when the door finally opened. Instantly he looked down, and found a small Chinese-looking man clad in a red changshan facing him. "Fon?" he asked.

The man nodded. "Correct. And you are Tsunayoshi?"

Tsuna nodded. "Is Reborn around?"

Fon gestured him inside, and closed the door as he answered. "He's out back in the gardens at the moment. It calms him, helping the plants and flowers Luche left for us to grow. Normally I'd wait for him to come back in, and have you two talk then, but I have a feeling it will be better to go out and face him rather than stay here and wait."

Tsuna nodded, having been thinking of a way to vocalize the same wish. "Okay then. "Is there anything important I should know before I go out there? Any innocents living nearby, or any chance of anyone from here interfering?"

Fon shook his head to both questions. "No. We are completely secluded out here – one of the reasons Luche chose this abode for us. And many of my fellow Arcobaleno are too disturbed by Reborn's temper to try to interrupt a discussion between you. I and Colonnello would help if we could, but this isn't about us."

"Thank you," Tsuna bowed to him in gratitude, pleased to see a shocked expression on his face. "Not only for understanding how this has to happen, but for helping me as well. I'll do my best not to waste your time or aid."

Fon bowed back, a smile on his features. "Please don't worry yourself about those things. Concentrate on your goal, and the rest will fall in line afterward. I wish you all the best."

They parted ways after that, Fon retreating to the upstairs bedrooms, and Tsuna exiting to the back of the building where Reborn was. The first thing he saw when he stepped out onto the porch was the row of crops, green and budding, that lined soil that smelled wet. Nearby a sprinkler system disappeared into the ground, the sound of someone turning a metal handle catching his attention and dragging it to the side of the house. He stood there and listened as the person drew closer, and when Reborn finally came out into full view all he could do was let loose the breath that he'd been holding in his chest all this time.

Reborn looked... fine. Yes, he looked like a baby version of himself, but that was all. He didn't look like some grotesque monster or creepy being that wasn't exactly human. What Colonnello had described now made much more sense, and some part of Tsuna relaxed, because while it would be _strange _to introduce Reborn to society, it wouldn't be as difficult as Tsuna had been prepared for. But that didn't change that _Reborn _would still have to agree to come back first – and that was the real fight. So he squared his shoulders, drew in a deep breath and tried to raise himself to look stern and more like the boss he would one day be. "Reborn."

The hitman had been preoccupied with wiping the excess dirt off his hands with a towel, and Tsuna had somehow managed to escape his extraordinary senses. Or maybe his instincts had simply stopped registering Tsuna as a threat. Either way, he froze up and turned, fixing beetle-black eyes on his godson. The brunet saw pain fill them, and stepped forward. "_Padrino._ You're okay."

Reborn swallowed, Tsuna tracking the action with his eyes. "You're not supposed to be here, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna winced. Ouch, cold. _This is going to be rougher than I thought. _"That's a rather chilly greeting, considering I just rushed from Japan to here in... eh, roughly eighty hours."

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Reborn snarled, having gotten back on his mental feet. He didn't move from his spot though, which was good. It gave Tsuna a chance to push the terror he was beginning to feel down and focus on his goal. "How did you even know I was here?"

"Colonnello." The answer blurted out before he could stop it. He closed his eyes and called himself a few different names before opening them again. "I was worried, Reborn. He told me what happened-"

"He didn't have any right!" Now Reborn was the closest to yelling Tsuna had ever heard, but he still didn't take a single step back. He wouldn't be the weakness in this conversation. "And you! You had no right to come after me! You should have just kept your damn nose out of it!"

"What was I supposed to do when I didn't hear from you in over a month? What was I supposed to assume when you didn't return any of my calls, when you ignored me and mom, when you shut yourself away and let rage take you?!" Tsuna asked, his voice pitching in desperation. He could feel the remnants of the terror and worry he'd felt those long days coming back, and stepped closer, dropped to his knees, ignoring Reborn's flinch. He wanted to reach out, take his godfather's shoulders and hold him until he understood just what he'd put his godson through.

"You were supposed to forget about me," Reborn replied, and his voice was so small, so _tired _that Tsuna just stopped and looked. His godfather's eyes were filled with self-hatred and disappointment, his tense frame radiating so much pain and defeat that it made Tsuna want to curse and hurt whoever had done this. "You were supposed to forget about me and move on. You're a smart kid, Tsuna. It wouldn't have taken you long to put the pieces together. I'm a hitman – and there are a lot of casualties in my job. What's to say that I didn't become one of those casualties?"

"Because you're the number one hitman," Tsuna snapped back stubbornly. The wane smile he got had him pulling grass up by the roots.

"Even the number one hitman doesn't stay at the top forever."

"Only if they're stupid. And you're not stupid. You're _careful." _Something was burning through him, the air around him pulsing with a power he didn't recognize. He wanted to enact violence, but his mind was locking his body down with reason, whispering that soon everything would fall in line, and he would get his chance to turn things around. For the sake of that voice, Tsuna held on with every last thread of patience he had. "You didn't get that position, you haven't held it as long as you have by being careless. So don't try to pull this shit with me, _padrino. _Please, don't I deserve more than that?"

Reborn didn't say anything. He just turned around so that his back was to Tsuna, and stared into the forest. He seemed to be gathering himself, and as much as Tsuna wanted to reach out and touch him, he held back. This dance needed to be done carefully, or he'd lose his only chance at this.

Finally, his godfather spoke, and there was nothing in his voice to suggest he'd ever looked like anything other than the kickass hitman he was. "Go home, Tsuna. You're not wanted, or welcome here. Iemitsu will teach you everything you need to know about the mafia. Nono's probably already dispatched him. Forget about me, about the Arcobaleno. Go live your life as you want."

This was it. Gathering every last inch of backbone he could, Tsuna stood again, his shadow towering over the man. Reborn could easily break his legs to cripple him, could kill him and bury him in this yard as fertilizer and nobody would ever know save him. But he hoped his godfather wouldn't resort to that. "No. I'm not going anywhere without you. I came here to take you home with me, to show you that no matter what, you're still needed. And I intend to stay here until that happens. I don't care if you beat me within an inch of my life – unless you kill me, I'm not going anywhere."

Reborn's head slowly turned to look at him. Tsuna held his ground when those black eyes, piercing and cold, glared at him. Those eyes could make his enemies shake with fear, make them piss themselves if Reborn wanted it. But those were the same eyes that had laughed and understood, the same eyes that had watched Tsuna grow up. So even when Reborn stared at him, waiting for him to tremble and leave, Tsuna didn't feel the fear he should have. He stared back, telling his godfather through silence that his words were true.

And suddenly, before Tsuna could gather his wits, Reborn turned and dashed into the forest, vanishing into the overgrowth.

Not giving himself time to think, Tsuna launched himself after the hitman. Despite his smaller state, the hitman was as fast as ever, and Tsuna found himself pushing every last bit of endurance he had trying to keep up. Reborn wove around trees and rocks, dove through thick brush that clawed at Tsuna's skin when he followed suit, tearing him up in thin red lines. He jumped on branches and ran through the tops of trees while Tsuna struggled to follow from below, knocking himself into trees and almost into a ditch on one occasion. Even when his ankle throbbed angrily, he shook the pain off and rushed after the vanishing shadow, forgetting everything but Reborn.

And when Reborn ran up a rocky path leading up into the mountains, Tsuna followed without thought. The climb started low and quickly became steep, but he pulled his shoes off, dug his feet and hands into the rock until they bled and pushed, staying right on his godfather's tail. Maybe Reborn thought he had gotten away, that his godson would never be able to follow him through such a twisting, winding path, regardless of the training Reborn had given him, but Tsuna was determined to show him otherwise.

After all, it wasn't just anyone he was chasing after. Nobody else would have invoked such a powerful reaction in him, and nobody else would have pushed Tsuna to do his best for the sake of those he loved. His mother had been concerned about his grades when they started to falter, and his father had crooned over his scraps and bruises he'd gotten when he'd been younger, but neither had taken an active interest in his life like Reborn had. Nobody had given him advice about how to handle bullies or grades or teachers that were more interested in their own reputations as adults and teachers than actually teaching properly. So naturally, nobody else would get this kind of treatment from him.

Finally, he pulled himself to the top of the mountain. He glanced back, and swallowed back a rush of dizziness as he realized just how high up they were. His fingers and feet were bleeding from the rough treatment they'd received as Tsuna had scrambled (without a rope or net) up the rock walls that had come at him. He wasn't even sure how he'd managed to do that, now that he thought about it. He'd been too consumed with thoughts of catching Reborn, of soothing that pain that he could still feel around the hitman, to care about if he might drop to his own death. He turned his gaze away, turning his attention back to the small trail that led up to the top of the mountain, where Reborn doubtlessly was.

The small hitman was there when Tsuna calmly walked up, his back turned to Tsuna as he stared down the other side of the mountain, looking for a way down. "Don't you think that's enough running for one day, Reborn? I've proven I can keep up. You're not going to shake me."

Reborn whirled, eyes going wide. He grit his teeth, fists balling up. "You stupid boy. Why couldn't you just leave me alone? Was my running away not clear enough about just how wanted you are?"

Tsuna cocked his head as Reborn started forward, not bothering to back up. "You've got a lot of sharp words, but you're lying through your teeth."

Reborn barked a laugh, a thin line of baby teeth baring themselves in a dark grin. "You've gotten so damned cocky. Like you know more than I do. You're nothing but a wet-behind-the-ears brat."

"And yet I can still tell the truth. I can still admit when I'm hurt and I need help. I don't hide away and take my frustrations out on everyone else around me. They're hurting just as much as you are, but all you care about is yourself. Is your grip on your temper really so short that you don't care who you hurt as long as _you_ feel better?"

Reborn stopped short, the aggressive look on his face wiped clean in an instant. Suddenly he seemed much more wary of his godson. Tsuna took the time to press forward both physically and literally, backing his godfather up like he'd been trying to do to Tsuna moments ago.

"You talk about arrogance and being cocky, but you and I both know that's not the truth. Out of everyone you've ever met, I'm the only one willing to put up with your bullshit, just like you put up with mine. We understand one another, and what I'm understanding right now is that whoever did this to you hurt you all a lot more than just physically. You're running scared, and you're angry because you're scared. So you're lashing out at anything that moves, hoping that somehow your fear will just vanish..." He snapped his fingers. "...Like that. Am I right so far?"

Reborn had gone still. He was staring at Tsuna like he was a feral animal instead of his godson. Tsuna could see the panic in those eyes, the disbelief that his godson, who had once relied so heavily on him, was able to read him so clearly. _That's right, Reborn. You're not going to get away so easily. You'll have to beat me down if you want me gone, and you'd better take the time to make sure I __**stay **__down, or you'll just find yourself repeating this experience over and over again. _

"Just because you know a few facts doesn't change anything, Tsunayoshi. I don't want you here. You're useless to me, and everyone else. So why bother? Just go home, back to your pathetic life, with your crush on a girl that will never notice you, and a family that doesn't care about you. Go on, get!" His godfather recovered quicker than Tsuna thought; his tongue was suddenly razor-sharp again, Reborn striking out at what he thought Tsuna's weak spots were.

If he were three years younger, and if his godfather weren't in danger of succumbing to death via his own rage, then Tsuna might have flinched back, cowering, and retreating because he _was _scared of those things. Of being unwanted, of being unloved, of living a useless life. But there were bigger things on the line now, so he only shook his head. "You're three years too late, Reborn. You've broken me of those weaknesses. Try again." He kept his arms unfolded, holding off on the desire to hide behind them like he did back home. If he hid, Reborn would suspect he'd actually hit something, that Tsuna was lying. And Tsuna couldn't afford to give him that chance.

Reborn snarled his frustrations and leapt forward, aiming to duck around Tsuna and go back down the mountain path. Tsuna intercepted him, batting his kick away and forcing him back again with a few well-timed blocks. Reborn took a few steps back, glowering at him for all he was worth. "God damn it, Tsuna!"

Tsuna cocked an eyebrow, acting as Reborn did when Tsuna vented his rage – as if that rage was nothing impressive, nothing terrifying or shocking. "Is that it?"

Reborn threw more curses at him in too many tongues for Tsuna to count. He waited for Reborn's rage to cool, hoping that this would be it. Unfortunately, as soon as he was done swearing, Reborn launched another attempt to duck around him and flee.

Without even thinking about it, Tsuna moved in front of Reborn again, blocking his attempts to leave. His godfather drew short, glaring up at him.

"**Move, **Tsuna,_" _Reborn hissed, voice venomous and eyes filling with rage. Tsuna could feel the restraint he was utilizing, but he knew it wouldn't be enough. Reborn needed to be pushed off that edge and made to understand exactly what he was doing. How much he was hurting those around him by shutting them out.

_All I have to do is stand up to the number one hitman – my own godfather – to do it. _Which was much harder than first thought, because there was something equally terrifying in front of a man who would shoot him right now, regardless of family ties or _famiglia _orders. But this man was also his godfather, who he would do anything for.

So even as his body trembled and his instincts screamed at him to _run, _he strapped an especially large strip of steel to his backbone and forced his muscles to relax, his body to stop shaking, and his eyes to meet Reborn's firmly. Because this, like it or not, was the first real test to determine if he could protect those precious to him. If he couldn't handle the rage of the number one hitman, he wouldn't be able to even touch any future relationships he had.

Reborn had advised him here too though, long ago when he'd gotten into his first fight – real fight, not him running away trying to survive the bullies. When he'd finally said _enough _and pushed back, Reborn, who had picked his beaten and bruised body up off the streets and chased off the brats that had been hurting him so viciously, had given him advice.

"_**Flinging yourself into a battle won't do you any good if you don't understand the type of enemy you're up against. Those boys were an example, Tsuna. Some enemies you lash out at physically, and others you play the waiting game with." **Tsuna hissed as another cotton ball of peroxide was pressed to his bleeding knuckles. _

"_**If you're up against someone bigger than you, someone who makes you afraid, you need to stare them down. Do you understand, Tsuna? Lock your legs, tell yourself you aren't afraid, and then make it so. Meet their eyes, and be on the same level as them. Stare them down until they understand that they're not facing someone who's going to go down easily. You need to make them as afraid of you as you are of them."**_

"_But what if I can't? What if I can't make them afraid?"_

_Reborn shrugged. **"Then you search for a weakness to exploit. A fear to play on. Something that will either make them come at you in a rage or leave with their tail between their legs."**_

Reborn would never leave, and he would never give up. He wasn't a coward, but he had weak points. Points that he'd scared those around him into leaving alone – he'd stared them down and made them see that he was bigger than them. But now Tsuna needed to turn that against Reborn, and make him see that his godson, the one _he'd _taught, was on the same wavelength as him, and wasn't about to back down because of a few mean words and sneering looks. He got those every day at school, and handled them fine.

So he tilted his chin up and looked _down _at Reborn, the trembling vanishing from his body. Even as those black eyes seemed to darken all the more and the rage became palpable between them, Tsuna held his ground. Reborn wanted a wall to vent his anger at? He had it. "Make me," he said simply.

The _look _on Reborn's face...

"Tsuna," the man rasped, clearly holding on to what little thread of sanity was left. The very thread Tsuna kept so rigorously plucking at. "If you don't move, I'm going to break your legs. Then I'm going to break your arms, and probably put a bullet between your eyes. So please. For the love of god. _**Move.**_"

Tsuna shook his head. "I can't, Reborn," he said. "You need this."

Those words seemed to release whatever tentative hold Reborn had on his sanity. With a howl fit more for a feral wolf than a hitman, Reborn lunged at him, and _god _if it wasn't the most terrifying handful of seconds in Tsuna's life. The world slowed down, and his eyes took in everything – and then his brain kicked in, and the famed Intuition took over as Reborn's intentions spiked from familiar to malicious. _Dodge to the left!_

Blood burning, Tsuna did so, letting the warmth of knowing grip and hold his more panicked thoughts down as Reborn snarled, spinning to catch him. Like a tidal wave it washed over him, drowning him in muted sensation while his mind kicked into overtime. He could read Reborn better than before, feel the erratic pulse of his Flames beneath his body, snapping like wolves ready to be released. All those wolves would need to be let loose, and every ounce of that Flame would need to burn out before they could go home. So Tsuna danced and spun with Reborn's attacks, never letting himself be pushed down the path, only a few steps back, and then Tsuna would dart forward and swing, and force Reborn back.

But it didn't last long. Tsuna had already used up most of his stamina chasing Reborn all over the place, and it showed when his speed decreased, and Reborn managed to dislocate his shoulder.

Tsuna couldn't hold back the scream that tore itself from his throat. Despite all his training, he wasn't strong enough to take something like that without reacting. The pain was enough to bring him to his knees, but the voice whispering in the back of his head and the heat blazing inside him kept him going, and so instead of dropping down and letting Reborn run over him, he grit his teeth and grabbed the arm, popping it back into place before Reborn could get another attack in.

Still, that single attack was enough to knock him off his rhythm and put him on the defensive. Reborn seemed to get even angrier that Tsuna was resisting his attacks; the teenager couldn't stop the winces and flinches that came as he raised his arms to defend himself from the slew of attacks. Each one hit harder than the last, and before long his arms were shaking and his flesh was mottled blue and black from the punches and kicks layered one on top of another.

Tsuna stumbled back, nearly losing his footing. Reborn again took advantage, diving forward with a spectacular kick square to Tsuna's nose. The loud _crack _rang out, and Tsuna saw blood gush, tasted it as his nose broke cleanly. His eyes closed automatically against the pain, and like that Reborn broke the rest of the way through his guard. Tsuna went flying, rolling down the path and hitting the ground hard. He coughed, the dust cloud he'd kicked up making it hard for him to breath. Forcing his shaking limbs to work, he made to get up, only to cry out when he was slammed back into the ground, a foot placed in the middle of this chest in a show of power.

He could have thrown Reborn off. He could have continued the fight, and gotten his ass beaten into the ground. He could have forced his still-immature Flame to activate and risked hurting himself or Reborn even more. But he didn't. Instead, Tsuna laid there, panting and bloody, staring up at Reborn, who loomed over him like a predator before its fallen prey. "Going to kill me, Reborn?" he asked, voice raspy.

A brush of warmth against his hip pocket and the tell-tale _click _informed him the knife Reborn had given him two summers ago was now being used against him. The tip touched the skin above his heart, those dark eyes watching him. "I told you to go home, Tsunayoshi. You didn't listen. This all could have been avoided if you'd just _listened._"

Tsuna couldn't help it. He laughed. His nose hurt even more with the vibrations, but he didn't care. He reached up with one hand, watching Reborn's reaction as he did so. "You're aiming wrong, Reborn. C'mon, you're a hitman. Don't tell me you've forgotten the basics? You don't put the knife there!" Taking Reborn's hand in his own, he raised it so that the knife was pressed against his throat, the blade's wickedly sharp blade indenting his skin just slightly. Not enough to make him bleed. "You put it here. There. Isn't that better? An easy cut to complete your victory."

He dropped his hand, then tilted his head back so that Reborn would have an easier chance of getting to the large vein in his neck. His eyes met his godfather's. "Go ahead, Reborn. Send me home in a body bag. It's clear you won't be swayed, no matter what I say. So congratulations. You win." And he closed his eyes and let himself go limp, a willing victim quietly saying his goodbyes to the world.

Reborn didn't move though. Tsuna stayed like that for nearly ten minutes and Reborn still didn't move. The knife didn't move either. Like a scene frozen in time they stood there, each waiting for the other to act. Reborn for his godson to get up and laugh in his face, tease and say he'd just been joking. Tsuna for Reborn to make his choice – either to push Tsuna away for good and let his anger take him down the only twisted path there was, or to _listen _and give Tsuna a chance to help him. It could go either way at this point, with how things had already worked out.

At long last, Reborn seemed to come to a decision. A tremble ran through him, followed by another, and then another, until he was shaking so bad that Tsuna found himself sitting up in concern, hands hovering over Reborn's form. "Reborn...?"

"Why?" His godfather gasped, biting down onto his lip hard enough to draw blood. "Why do you push me so hard? Why do you _test _me so damn much?!"

This was one of the first instances of his life that Tsuna had seen Reborn so frightened before. It was clear in how his body shook, how his shoulders hunched, and how his eyes were everywhere but on Tsuna's. The teenager ducked his head, looking into Reborn's eyes, and gentled his voice.

"Because I love you, you stupid man. I test you and push you because I want you to be _safe, _especially when all you're doing is throwing yourself in harm's way."

Reborn swallowed, hesitantly meeting his eyes. "Remind me again why you couldn't just forget about me?"

"Because you're family. And family isn't forgotten, Reborn."

"You forgot Iemitsu," Reborn pointed out, voice still small. His hand shook, but the knife didn't cut.

"Because Iemitsu's not family. He's just some asshole that decides to check in now and again to make sure we're not all dead. But you? You're _constantly _around. You make sure me and Mom are in good health. You watch out for us. You teach us how to protect ourselves. You love us. _You _are family." Deeming it safe now, the teen reached up and gently curled a hand around Reborn's. Reborn looked up at him, vulnerability written all over his face. Tsuna smiled at him."I'm not going to run away because you look a little different now. I still respect and admire you. I still love you, _padrino. _I'd burn the world if it would keep you safe. And come hell or high water, I promise you I'm going to find whoever made you all look like this and have them take it back. I don't care if I have to fight to the death over it."

"You might very well have to," Reborn croaked. The knife dropped from his hand, Tsuna easily scooping it up and sliding it back into his pocket where it belonged. He sniffled, wincing when his broken nose complained. That was going to be a bitch to fix. Ignoring it for the moment, he knelt and scooped Reborn up, folding himself up so Reborn sat snug in his lap, his face buried in Tsuna's chest. At first he thought his offer for comfort would go ignored, or Reborn would insist that he wasn't a baby, despite appearances.

But Reborn leaned forward, burying his face in Tsuna's chest, hands tight in his shirt and jeans. Tsuna merely laid his chin on his knees, keeping his eyes in the distance. Even when a warm wetness began to spread across his chest and Reborn trembled, Tsuna didn't look away or move. Even the strongest warriors would break and cry, but it went against the code of honor held between them to speak of such things. Tsuna would offer whatever comforts he could to the man he held so much respect for, but he wouldn't ask if Reborn was 'okay', or try to stop him from breaking.

All Tsuna could do was hold him as his world fell down around his ears; offer him a shelter, even a temporary one, to hide in until everything made sense again. Young as he was, it was all Tsuna knew _how_ to do – he couldn't yet raze the world as he'd proclaimed, or even fight against the man who'd cursed Reborn and the others to this horrible fate. But someday he would. After all this was over, Reborn wouldn't let him lie back and watch the world go by. And Tsuna himself didn't want that either.

Some day he'd be able to stand on the same battlefield as the man who cursed Reborn and declare his intentions, but for now he would hold the man who meant the world to him, and let the storm that had been building inside of him for a month wash over them both.

* * *

><p>The aftermath of such a long, hazardous dance between the two of them was surprisingly calm. They made their way back down the mountain with the help of Leon, Reborn's pet charmeleon who had also been shrunk down with his master. The little lizard gave Tsuna affectionate nuzzles and licks when he finally scurried up the mountain, having gotten the message from Reborn's various bug spies that he was needed.<p>

Reborn, eyes slightly puffy and red from his meltdown, gave his lizard a knowing look, but did not begrudge him the affection. Leon transformed into a pick to help Tsuna get back down the mountain, Reborn clinging to his neck like a koala the entire time. It helped that his hands and feet had been healed; that had been one of the first things Reborn had done when he'd gotten his wits back, looking rather guilty at the sight of his godson so scratched up. He'd pressed his hands to the wounds a little longer than necessary, expending power _just to make sure _that everything was fine. Tsuna hadn't said anything, knowing that Reborn needed this.

Once they were off the mountain it was a simple matter of retracing their way back to the manor. The sun had lowered itself from its high view in the sky since then, and so the skies above them were tinting towards red by the time they finally hit home. Fon, standing on the back porch, greeted them with barely-concealed relief and a happy smile. He bowed deeply to Tsuna on their way back inside, Tsuna returning the gesture with no less affection than what he'd given Reborn earlier.

To compensate for the trouble he'd brought to their home, Tsuna cooked for the Arcobaleno that night. Perhaps his fellows felt the change in the air, because it was one of the first time everyone was home. Tsuna put his best handiwork out, not seeking to impress, but to comfort. Almost everyone, sans Viper and Reborn, were drooling by the time he came out with the three-course meal. By the time everyone had their full stomach, there wasn't even a crumb left on the plates.

Fon helped him wash up the dishes while Reborn and the others reclined in front of the TV. A short fight broke out over what to watch, Tsuna not even flinching when Skull went soaring into the kitchen via a sharp kick from Colonnello. He merely dried his hands and went to patch the Cloud up, Skull goggling at him as he did so.

"H-hey, are you really Reborn-sempai's godson?!"

A shout came from the living room before Tsuna could answer. "Of course he is, lackey. He's one of the finest people you'll ever meet. Now get back in here before I come in there after you."

Skull darted away, all thoughts of resemblance lost as he fought to get back into place before the show they'd chosen for the night started. Tsuna fought not to blush, but he couldn't prevent a smile from blooming at the praise he'd been given. Reborn didn't heap praise on like most family members did, but when he did it was because Tsuna had done something well and truly _right. _

Tsuna returned to the dishes not long after that, Fon giving him a tiny smile as they finished up, returning to the living room not long after to join the others. The Arcobaleno moved over for Tsuna without a word, Reborn selfishly hogging his lap ("The best seat in the house," he claimed with a smirk.) while Colonnello and Skull pressed against either side of him. At some point, Viper and Fon hopped up onto his shoulders, Lal took command of the top of his head, and Verde sat between his legs, too busy working on his newest experiment to worry about what was on TV.

Despite what others would later say, Tsuna was well and truly accepted by the Arcobaleno. Not because he was Reborn's godson, and thus automatically worthy of such a position, or even because Reborn had spoken well of him, as had Colonnello. It was because they had all born witness to Tsuna's courage and ability to calm others with Reborn's re-arrival at home, and they were able to respect him for those traits, and for his desire to protect the ones he loved.

So when he fell asleep on the couch in the middle of the program, the others merely waited until a commercial before going and grabbing the blankets and pillows and piling up on the couch for the night. Tsuna's presence was calming, and none of them wanted to chase him out of the house just yet, despite the fact that by all accounts he shouldn't have been there. Lal even held off on her scolding of Colonnello, although she had kicked him in the face when she'd first arrived back home, shortly before dinner.

Reborn remained close to Tsuna all through the night, keeping his face pressed to Tsuna's chest and his eyes closed for once, relaxing his guard. He fell asleep knowing that were anything to try to hurt him, Tsuna would doubtlessly intercept it and pummel it to death. And if his dreams were invaded by images of Tsuna decked out in cloak and Flame, battling Checkerface and restoring their humanity, well that was fine too he supposed.

* * *

><p>It took a full week before the Arcobaleno, and more importantly Reborn, were feeling well enough to send Tsuna back home. It didn't help that Tsuna could cook superb meals just like his mother, each one so filling and satisfying that half of the Arcobaleno debated moving in with Tsuna just to keep those delicious meals coming. But in the end Reborn's presence warned them off, coupled with the threats the hitman gave concerning anyone distracting Tsuna from his eventual studies of the mafia world. It seemed even without being asked again, Reborn had made his decision about which way to jump.<p>

The Arcobaleno saw the duo off at the airport, and watched as the plane made its way out of sight. Reborn and Tsuna did the same from their spot in first class (Reborn's work), the two laying back once they were in the sky and could no longer see anything. "You think the Vongola Boss knows I've been gone all this time?"

Reborn snorted. "I'd be surprised if he didn't know, Tsuna. Iemitsu reports everything to him."

"So then, why didn't they come to stop me? Doubtless they don't agree with my views about you – they were perfectly willing to leave you be despite seeing what was happening." Brow furrowing, Tsuna leaned forward. "If they're really as afraid of you as they said, their first instinct should have been to get me away from you. So, some form of interception. And before you suggest that it was my ability to walk and speak like an Italian that got me by, I would like to remind you that all I did was change my eye and hair color."

Reborn rolled his eyes. "I'm aware, Tsuna. And I can easily tell you that it wasn't your amazing skills with a debit card that kept you under wraps. No, they probably knew you were here, but they chose not to do anything for two reasons. The first is they wanted to see what you were made of. They wanted to see if you'd have the power to stop me. The second reason is tied with the first, and that is they wanted to see if you would be the type to abandon your people in the middle of their hardships."

"So basically, leaving when you told me to instead of pushing onward?"

"Yes, exactly that." Conjuring up a cup of steaming coffee in that way of his (how _did_ he do it?), Reborn took a sip and leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable. "If you'd chosen to leave when I told you, or if you'd not come at all, most likely that would have lowered your standing in the eyes of the Family quite a bit. Not enough to make it completely noticeable at first, but you'd have eventually seen it."

Tsuna eyed Reborn's coffee cup. "I'm guessing it also would have made me seem weak and easy to overthrow?" His arm darted forward, and he attempted to grab at the cup. Reborn easily dodged, smirking and taking another long sip as Tsuna cursed under his breath.

"More than likely, yes. The Family might have thrown more of its lot in with Xanxus, rather than you, resulting in a fight between you and he over the rings and position as Decimo."

"Yeesh." Another swipe, another miss, another curse. "So what happens now that I _haven't _done any of that? Because from the pictures you've shown me of that Xanxus fellow, I'd rather not cross him."

"Hmph. You won't need to worry about him. Now that the Family has seen your determination, he won't get through to you easily. And if he _does, _it will most likely be to discuss terms of negotiation between you and he." Reborn offered up his coffee up. Tsuna gave him a grateful look, taking a happy swig before handing it back. _Ahh, blessed be the caffeine gods._

"What do you mean terms of negotiation?"

"The Varia and the Vongola work closely with one another; typically the head of the Varia acts as the sort of negotiator for what the Varia are willing to take and what they aren't. On top of that, the Varia work with the CEDEF to keep an eye on troublesome people on our radar. He'll have to come talk to you in order to inform you of what jobs need to be done, the marks they're watching, so on and so forth."

Tsuna nodded, absorbing this information for later. "Is there any particular date I'm to expect him by?"

Reborn shook his head. "No. Most likely Nono will hold off on sending him to you until I've started sending regular reports in indicating that you've started taking on the responsibilities of a starter boss. Before we do that, we have to worry about your grades, training, social standing, etc etc."

"I've got a long way to go before I have to worry about the Varia, basically."

"Basically."

* * *

><p>Their arrival back to Namimori came sooner rather than later. Not much had seemed to change since Tsuna's departure, but he still took the time to look around a bit before heading home. Reborn also wanted to look around, and get an idea for what all had gone on since his transformation. Despite his desire to walk around by himself, he stayed in Tsuna's arms, knowing it wouldn't be a good idea for someone to see a baby walking around by himself. Besides, he had no desire to get Tsuna into trouble.<p>

"I'm home, Mama."

Nana greeted them at the door when they arrived, and Reborn watched as her face bloomed into a bright happiness that only she seemed to be able to achieve. "Welcome home, Tsu-kun, Reborn-san! How was your trip to Italy?"

"It was good. Very beautiful, actually. I got to see a lot of the countryside before I had to leave." Tsuna glanced discreetly at Reborn, who couldn't help but flush.

Nana nodded, and transferred her attention to Reborn. There was nothing in her stance, speech or eyes to indicate she'd even _noticed _his new body. "And how about you, Reborn-san? Did you have a good time? Have you figured everything out?"

"Yes Mama, I have thanks to Tsuna." He didn't even try to hold back the smile. "He's a good kid."

"He is, isn't he?" Wrapping an arm around her son and ignoring his complaints, she hugged him. "But then again, he's had an excellent role model to grow up with. So thank you for taking care of him as well as you have, Reborn." She let Tsuna go after a minute, and clapped her hands together. "Now, have either of you have breakfast yet? What would you like to eat?"

Despite the fact that they _had _eaten at the Arcobaleno house, both of their stomachs rumbled as if on cue. Nana's cooking was unrivaled though, so it wasn't entirely unexpected. "Anything sounds good at this point, honestly."

Nana nodded, clearly happy. "Alright then. Give me just a minute and I'll whip something right up for you!"

"Thanks Mama," Reborn and Tsuna chorused as Nana returned to the kitchen. Unfortunately, whatever good mood her cooking and welcome might have put them in was quickly destroyed by a familiar voice.

"Tsunayoshi."

Reborn hopped up to Tsuna's shoulder, tiny hand coming to rest on the back of his godson's neck as Iemitsu stepped out from the shadows, face grim. Tsuna squared his shoulders. "Iemitsu."

Iemitsu's eyes bore into Reborn, but the hitman held his ground. _Did you really think your son wouldn't come to get me? _He mentally asked the man. _Did you think he would let you and Nono ignore me and send somebody else to do my job? _

"Nono has asked me to start your training."

Tsuna nodded. "I'm aware. Reborn and I were planning on starting next week, since this week's been rather hectic."

Iemitsu's features tightened. "Nono doesn't want Reborn around."

Tsuna scoffed. "Tough luck. For him and you. He's the only teacher I'll accept for this world."

Reborn didn't smile like he wanted to, but he let his hand caress the back of Tsuna's neck in silent praise. _Thank you. _

Iemitsu drew himself up, perhaps hoping to intimidate his son. "You don't have a choice in this, Tsunayoshi. You'll be training with me, and that's that."

Tsuna watched him for a very long time. Then, he called into the kitchen, "Mama, could you make that meal to go? Reborn and I are heading back to Italy. We don't know when we'll be back."

Reborn watched Iemitsu's face go blank with shock. Nana poked her head out of the kitchen. "Certainly, dear! Would you mind buying a camera before you go this time? I'd love to see pictures of your adventures!"

"Sure thing. I'll send you letters too."

"Thank you, honey!"

"You can't do this!" Iemitsu yelled, finally breaking. "I won't let you!" And he made the mistake of reaching out to grab Tsuna. Perhaps he hoped to instill fear, but it had the opposite effect. Reborn watched as Tsuna knocked the arm aside, and with the same strength he'd used to defend against Reborn's earlier attacks, pushed Iemitsu back. The man stumbled, clearly not expecting it, and fell back. He stared up at his son in shock as Tsuna moved forward, towering over him.

"You," Tsuna growled, low and malevolent, "hold no rule over my life, Sawada Iemitsu. You helped in creating me, but that's all you've done. I don't owe you anything, and as far as I'm concerned, my father is sitting on my shoulder. So no, I _won't _stay in Namimori, and no I _won't _let you control me. You and Nono can both go to hell – neither of you did _anything _when Reborn was hurting. You just let him go, like he didn't mean shit. As far as I'm concerned, neither one of you is related to me – you're just the man that comes home to see Mom, and he's just the man that runs the Vongola."

Tsuna stepped back and headed up the stairs to pack. "Do you need anything from here?" he asked Reborn as the other stepped off his shoulder onto his bed. He kept his voice low, on the off-chance Iemitsu wasn't done with them.

Reborn shook his head. "Just take what you absolutely need. We can buy you clothes and such later on."

Tsuna blinked. "Are you sure?"

His godfather gave him a _look. _"Of course. Are you suggesting I'm incapable of taking care of you?"

"No, no! Nothing like that." He swapped his suitcase for a smaller bag, re-packing everything he'd had in it and zipping it up. "I just didn't think a hotel would-"

"You won't be staying at a hotel, Tsuna." Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Reborn guided him back down the stairs. "The Arcobaleno will welcome you back, so you'll be staying with us."

"What? B-but-"

"No buts. Now come along."

They said goodbye to Nana, who kissed them both on the forehead, and headed out the door. Iemitsu was nowhere in sight. Tsuna resisted the urge to sigh. "I'm guessing he's gone to report to Nono?"

"Probably. Another good reason for you to stay with us. Very few Families will mess with you if you do. The protection of not one but _all _of the Arcobaleno will go far in our world." They hailed a cab, and gave the driver the address of the airport. After paying for the ride, they went to get tickets. "Another good reason is the variety of training you'll have at your disposal."

"You think the others will help?" Colonnello he knew, and maybe Fon, but the others?

Reborn nodded. "You're an interesting person for them. Plus, you're one of the few that knows our secret and doesn't care. They'll want you to be strong enough to resist anything the Vongola or someone else throws at you."

"Good to know." Smiling at the woman who'd handed him his ticket, they made their way through the airport.

Iemitsu would probably do all he could to reclaim Tsuna for the Vongola in the coming days. But so long as he stayed with the Arcobaleno he'd be okay – Reborn wouldn't let anyone snatch his beloved godson from him, and he doubted the other Arcobaleno would take to him doing the same in the coming days. After all, once they took to someone, they'd want to keep that person close, no matter the costs. Tsuna had already left quite an impression on them all; now it was just a matter of giving him the chance to prove his worth to them.

Reborn smirked as they boarded the plane. The coming days were looking to be rather interesting, all told.

* * *

><p><span>Author's Notes<span>

Phew! Finally got this beast done. This is my first fanfiction that's only a single chapter long, but has over 15k words in it. Quite a feat, in my eyes. It doesn't hurt that 15k helps put me ahead of the game on my NaNo this year, either!

I hope you all enjoy this installation of the _Hitman's Honor _(for lack of a better name) series.

Comments, questions, concerns, leave them behind and I'll get to them.


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